Echeveria plant named ‘OVPEARLS10’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Echeveria  plant named ‘OVPEARLS10’ which is characterized by a flattened globular profile with foliage arranged in a compact basal rosette, moderately to strongly glaucous foliage that is covered with a layer of greyed-green epicuticular wax which gives the foliage a pale blue-grey appearance, juvenile foliage with a greyed-red laminar tip, and mature foliage with a purple to greyed-purple apical margins and laminar tip. The new variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Echeveria elegans x pulidonis.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Echeveria disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘OVPEARLS10’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘OVPEARLS10’ is a seedling selection, presumed to be the result of the open-pollination of an unnamed Echeveria elegans plant (unpatented), the seed parent, and a plurality of unnamed Echeveria pulidonis plants (not patented), the presumed pollen parent. The exact pollen parent is unknown. The crossing is believed to have occurred in the summer of 2016 at a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. In early 2017, one seedling from said cross was observed to exhibit unique foliage and growth characteristics when compared to the parent plants and all other progeny. After confirming the stability of the unique characteristics first observed, the new plant was selected for commercialization and given the name, ‘OVPEARLS10’

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS10’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in the autumn of 2017 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Through eleven subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘OVPEARLS10’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘OVPEARLS10’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OVPEARLS10’ as a new and distinct Echeveria cultivar:

-   -   1. ‘OVPEARLS10’ exhibits an abundance of succulent foliage with         a concave and upwardly curved aspect, arranged in a compact         rosette; and     -   2. ‘OVPEARLS10’ exhibits near-oblong to broad oblanceolate         foliage with an abruptly acute apex and a mucronate tip,         occasionally with light undulation on one side of the lamina;         and     -   3. ‘OVPEARLS10’ exhibits moderately to strongly glaucous foliage         that is covered with a layer of greyed-green epicuticular wax         which gives the foliage a pale blue-grey general coloration; and     -   4. ‘OVPEARLS10’ exhibits juvenile foliage with a greyed-red         laminar tip; and     -   5. ‘OVPEARLS10’ exhibits mature foliage with apical margins and         laminar tips that are purple to greyed-purple.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘OVPEARLS10’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 1 year old, shown planted in an 8.5 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘OVPEARLS10’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVPEARLS10’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVPEARLS10’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in December of 2021 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 1 year old ‘OVPEARLS10’ plants grown in 8.5 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria which consisted of minimal subsurface irrigation, fertilizer applications, and chemical pest control measures against thrips as required. No other chemical pest and disease control measures were taken. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began to mature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘OVPEARLS10’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘OVPEARLS10’ and a comparison with the parent plants and closest known comparator is provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a             compact, non-branched basal rosette, eventually forms a             short stem with age.         -   Plant form.—Flattened globular.         -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—7.5 cm.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 10.9 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting             — Approximately 5 weeks at an approximate temperature of 21             degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 1 year to produce             a marketable plant in a 7 cm container.         -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither             resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria pests and             diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once             established; high tolerance to wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots. -   Stems:     -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves in a basal rosette, eventually             forming a short, unbranched stem with age; no lateral             branching.         -   Quantity of main stems.—1.         -   Main stem dimensions.—2.4 cm long and 0.3 cm in diameter.         -   Internode length.—0.3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Rounded.         -   Attitude.—Nearly vertical.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture and luster.—Glabrous, glaucous; covered with a thin             layer of epicuticular wax which is colored a translucent             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 192C.         -   Color, when developing.—Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 192C.         -   Color of mature stem.—Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 192B.         -   Color at internodes.—Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 192B. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 90 leaves per rosette.         -   Shape.—Near-oblong to broad oblanceolate.         -   Dimensions.—4.2 cm long, 1.6 cm wide, and 0.7 cm thick, on             average.         -   Aspect.—Concave; distalmost portion of the lamina is curled             upward at an average angle of 30 degrees.         -   Attitude.—Juvenile foliage at the center of the rosette             exhibits a near-vertical attitude; foliage becomes             progressively more relaxed as it matures and becomes nearly             horizontal to slightly pendulous at the outer whorls of the             rosette.         -   Apex.—Abruptly acute with a mucronate tip; occasionally with             light undulation on one side of the lamina.         -   Base.—Long cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; occasionally with some slight undulation             along one side of the lamina, at and near the apex.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial             surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to strongly             glaucous.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial             surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to strongly             glaucous.         -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Yellow-green,             nearest to RHS 147B; fading lighter towards the base,             nearest to RHS 147D; margined with a lighter shade of             yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148D; laminar tips are lightly             suffused with greyed-red, nearest to RHS 181A. Leaves are             covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax which is             colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189B. Juvenile foliage,             abaxial surface — Greyed-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS             191A and 191B; fading lighter towards the base, nearest to a             mixture of RHS 193A and 193B; margined yellow-green, nearest             to RHS 147D; laminar tips are lightly suffused with             greyed-red, nearest to RHS 181A. Leaves are covered with a             thin layer of epicuticular wax which is colored             greyed-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 188A and 188B.             Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS             NN137C; fading lighter to yellow-green towards the base,             nearest to RHS 146D; margins are yellow-green, nearest to             RHS 147D, and suffused with purple, distally, nearest to RHS             N77B; laminar tip is slightly darker, nearest to a mixture             of RHS N77A and N77B. Leaves are covered with a thin layer             of epicuticular wax which is colored greyed-green, nearest             to RHS 189B. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Nearest to a             mixture of green and yellow-green, RHS 138B and 147C; fading             lighter towards the base, nearest to RHS 147C; apex, apical             margins, and laminar tip are moderately suffused with             greyed-purple, nearest to a mixture of RHS 189A and 189B.             Leaves are covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax             which is colored greyed- green, nearest to a mixture of RHS             188A and 188B.         -   Venation.—Pattern — No venation is visible. Color, adaxial             surface — No venation is visible. Color, abaxial surface —             No venation is visible.         -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS10’ differ from the seed parent, an unnamed Echeveria elegans plant (not patented) in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘OVPEARLS10’ The seed parent. Foliage width. Narrower than the seed Wider than parent. ‘OVPEARLS10’. Foliage aspect. Less concaved than the More concaved than seed parent. ‘OVPEARLS10’. Undulation of the Lightly undulated. No undulation. foliar margins. Coloration of the Greyed-red. Yellow-green. juvenile laminar tip.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS10’ differ from the pollen parent, an unnamed Echeveria pulidonis plant (not patented) in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘OVPEARLS10’ The pollen parent. Plant profile. Flattened globular, yet Flattened globular, yet nearer to globular by nearer to flattened by comparison with the comparison with parent. ‘OVPEARLS10’. Foliage length. Shorter than the parent. Longer than ‘OVPEARLS10’. Foliage width. Narrower than the parent. Broader than ‘OVPEARLS10’. Foliage thickness. Thicker than the parent. Thinner than ‘OVPEARLS10’. Coloration of Yellow-green with a Apical margins the juvenile greyed-red laminar tip. and laminar tip are foliar margins colored greyed-red. and laminar tip.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVPEARLS10’ differ from Echeveria hybrid ‘OVPEARLS11’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/803,281 filed concurrently), which is the closest known comparator, in the following characteristics described in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘OVPEARLS10’ ‘OVPEARLS11’ Plant size. Taller but less Shorter with a greater spreading, relative to spread, relative to ‘OVPEARL11’. ‘OVPEARLS10’. Foliage size. Smaller than Larger than ‘OVPEARLS11’. ‘OVPEARLS10’. Foliage shape. Near-oblong to broad Oblanceolate. oblanceolate. Foliar margin Occasionally with some Entire. undulation. slight undulation along one side of the lamina, at and near the apex. Coloration of Apical margins and Distal margins and laminar the mature laminar tip are more tip are conspicuously foliar margins prominently colored margined purple to greyed- and laminar tip. purple to greyed-purple. purple. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveria elegans x pulidonis plant named ‘OVPEARLS10’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 